11/19/2024
A little Tuesday Donkey talk! π«π¬
When you think of donkeys, you likely imagine hardy creatures. While this is true, donkeys can actually be more compromised in the winter than horses. Crazy to think, right?
I have firsthand experience in this field. Pictured below is our donkey, Bobby. Bobbyβs not your average donkey as he is smaller than a standard donkey but larger than a miniature.
Bobby is no stranger to the cold. A few years ago, we bought him off a Facebook ad that read, β$200 untouched Jack donkey. Not friendly. Doesnβt want to be petted.β If you know Bobby now, youβd laugh at how completely opposite he is from that description! We drove out to a ranch in Wyoming and picked him up from a cattle pasture where heβd spent his early years with the herd (thereβs a point to all this, I promise). It took about three weeks for Bobby to bond with me, and ever since, heβs been my little buddy.
Where we lived in Colorado, right near the Wyoming border, snow in the winter was a given. Naturally, I assumed Bobby was fine, just like our horses. However, this wasnβt the case at all! It wasnβt unusual for temperatures to reach the negatives during the day or night, while snow continued to fall. Yes, they had a lean-to shelter, but when do donkeys actually use shelter? Usually never, even when itβs available. That meant Bobby would stand out in the knee-deep snow all day and night, getting soaked.
As a horse owner, I knew how snow on a horseβs back actually acts as insulation, creating air pockets between their skin and the snow. Knowing this, I assumed it worked the same way for donkeys. Plot twist: it doesnβt! One afternoon, I walked out after class and found Bobby shaking like a leaf and severely cold. I couldnβt believe it because the temperature was only in the mid-20s, and I assumed that since Bobby was raised in a Wyoming cattle pasture, heβd be used to harsh winters.
I immediately headed to Google as one does with a bucket of questions resulting in:
1. Donkeys are not βwaterproofβ like horses.
2. Their coats lack natural oils and the ability to repel water.
3. While donkeys grow thick winter coats, their coats arenβt dense enough to prevent water or snow from seeping through to their skin.
I was in a world of disbelief and felt so bad for not knowing this information and wondered how in the world he made it through all the winters prior! This brings us back to the idea that donkeys are hardy creatures, which they really are.
Donkeysβ evolutionary adaptations play a significant role in why theyβre built the way they are. Naturally, they come from deserts and dry, sparse regions where rain and snow are uncommon. Unlike horses, they arenβt designed with water-resistant fur coats.
Donkeys are amazing creatures and tough as nails but they still need extra care in the winter, just like horses. Needless to say, Bobby now has a little blanket for when the weather gets too rough for him here in NorthWest Montana. βοΈπ¨οΈ
Check out the next photo for more valuable tips on caring for donkeys in winter!
Moral of the story:
Best $200 Iβve ever spent & donβt forget to keep an eye on your donkeys during the colder months! π«βοΈβοΈ
With warm love,
Bobby & Sadie π
